MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Eight runs in the first four innings Wednesday night at AutoZone Park were enough for the Memphis Redbirds to take game three of the four-game series with the Omaha Storm Chasers (Triple-A Royals), 8-6.
For the second-straight night the Redbird bats awoke early and often, as Memphis (10-13) had three runs in the second and three in the fourth on Wednesday after scoring three in the first and three in the third on Tuesday. The Redbirds drew eight walks off the Storm Chaser (15-10) hurlers.
Memphis has scored 15 runs in the last two games after having 17 in the six games prior.
Mike Ohlman was 2-for-2 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored, and Patrick Wisdom was 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and two runs. Matt Williams also had two hits and two RBI, including his first triple of the season. Arturo Reyes picked up his first win with 5.1 innings of work, before passing it over to Heath Wyatt, Justin Wright and John Church.
The bullpen inherited five runners in the game, and just one scored. Church picked up his first save of the season.
Tommy Pham, who joined the team from St. Louis to rehab an injury, was 1-for-2 with a two-run single, a walk and a stolen base before his game was over in the fourth inning.
The Redbirds knocked around Storm Chaser starter Jonathan Dziedzic, who entered the game with the second-best earned run average in the Pacific Coast League, for six runs in 3.1 innings. Dziedzic walked two in each of the Redbirds’ three-run innings, which set up big plays by Pham and Anthony Garcia to help break the game open.
Omaha tied it at three in the fourth, but the Redbirds scored five times in their next two at bats to give enough distance to withstand Storm Chaser runs in the sixth and seventh.
Charlie Tilson entered the game as a pinch runner in the second and went 0-for-4, ending his 10-game hitting streak. It was the second-longest active streak in the PCL at the start of the game and was the first 10-gamer by a Redbird since Greg Garcia from June 1-11, 2015.
Memphis and Omaha wrap up their series tomorrow at 7:05 p.m. The Redbirds will celebrate Cinco de Mayo with all-you-can-eat tacos with a $12 TruGreen Bluff ticket or $15 Field Box ticket, both of which are on special pricing for the night. Tacos will be $2 elsewhere in the park, and margaritas will be $5.
The Redbirds are also offering a Mother’s Day celebration ticket package, where fans will receive four Field Box tickets to the game on Saturday, May 21, four food vouchers for a hot dog and soft drink, a $25 gift card to Seasons 52 restaurant and the opportunity for a pregame family picture on the field, all for $89. The game also features postgame fireworks.
For tickets or for more information on the 2016 Redbirds season, contact the Redbirds front office at (901) 721-6000 or visit www.memphisredbirds.com.
